It's been 45 years since Nelson Mandela was sent to prison for more than two decades and 14 years since his election as president of South Africa heralded the end of apartheid. Few have endured and accomplished what he has. Now, to commemorate his 90th birthday, Time is picking his brain to find out the tools that make a great leader.

Perhaps they should send a copy to Robert Mugabe?

Also check out the magazine's photo essay of Mandela's life.

So, how'd we get here, 90 years later?

• July 18th, 1918: Nelson Mandela is born Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela in a small village in the Transkei province in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. His father has four wives and he's the youngest of 13 children.

• 1948: Under the leadership of Dr. Daniel Malan, the National Party comes into power in South Africa. It's platform? Apartheid.

• 1951: Mandela becomes the national president of the youth league of the African National Congress (ANC), which organized a movement of boycotts, protests, and passive resistance to try to end apartheid.

• 1961: After being part of a passive resistance movement for years, the ANC decides to endorse an armed fight. Mandela goes underground to launch the "armed struggle."

• 1962: Mandela is imprisoned and given a five year sentence, which soon turns into a sentence of life in prison.

• 1985: Kennedy visits South Africa to support the anti-apartheid movement, he visits Mandela's wife Winnie. Protests of the South African regime occur all over the world.

• February 1990: After a series of negotiations, Mandela is released from prison.

• 1994: He is elected President of South Africa in the first ever national election in which blacks were allowed to vote. Apartheid's over.

• 1999: He does not seek a second presidential term and is succeeded by Thabo Mbeki.

• 1999-2008: He's spends the time since his retirement working as a human rights activist.

For a much more in-depth picture, check out these links.